nowlan



(No Model.) 2 sheets-Sneet 1.

F. NOWLAN.

CAMERA.

No. 441,018. Patented Nov. 18, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

F. NOWLAN.

GAMBRA.

No. 441,018. Patented Nov. 18,1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS NOVLAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,018, dated November 18, 1890.

Application filed April 9,1889. Serial No. 306,622. (No model.) Patented in France December 8, 1888, No. 194,671; in England January 22, 1889, No. 4,248; in Belgium April 20, 1889, No. 85,911, and in Switzerland April 23, 1889, No. 888.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANcgsNowLAN, a British subject, residing at Lond'on, England, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Cameras for Obtaining' Photographs of Moving and other Objects, (for which I have obtained patents in France under date of December 8, 1888, No. 194,671; in England under date of January 22, 1889, No. 4,248; in Belgium under date of April 20, 1889, No. 85,911, and in Switzerland under date of April 28, 1889, No. 888,) of which the following .is a specification.

My invention relates to certain details in and connected with the construction of cameras for photographic purposes, particularly such as are now known by the terms of secret, detective, and instantaneous cameras.

The invention consists of certain improvements, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which-- Figure 1 represents an elevation partly vin section. Fig. 2 represents a cross-section on the 4line-o3` 0c of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on theline-y y of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 represents a cross-section on the line ,e z of Fig.,3.

^ ""lorender the views more explicit, an outer box or case A is indicated in all the figures;

vbutl as this forms no part of the present invention the details thereof are omitted. Within a fixed drum or annular casing B is a secondary drum or movable frame B', divided by suitable partitions b, adapted to hold sensitive plates b' of any given size. --Said plates may be held against the cross-heads of b in position so as to be presented at right angles to the axis of lens C by springs b2, or they may be held in grooves formed in the partition-walls. The drum B is permanently closed at one end by the ring or cap H, which connects together the inner and outer walls of same, and is covered over at the other end by a removable ring or cover B2. Drum B' is caused to move by means of gear-wheel or pinion D, which engages with a circular rack 5o I inside of same, said pinion D being actuated by the hand through its connected spindle and handle D'. Said shaft carries a second smaller pinion D4, which engages with'tlie disk D2, marked with numbers corresponding to the number of plates capable of being carried by drum B', the gear being so arranged that a half-turn of the handle D will enable each plate successively to be brought in front of the lens, the corresponding number being indicated by the disk, say as shown in Fig. 1, where disk D2 is only seen through the opening in a removable' cover-plate D3, which serves to cover the pinions and gears.

The spindle of the pinions D and D4 finds a many purposes. A spring-catch d may be secured to drum B', the point of said catch passing into recesses in drum B, so that as the plate to be exposed reaches its proper position the drum B will be automaticallvheld sufficiently firm for practical use. u

A sliding shutter E is arranged so that the lens-opening in drum B may be closed when desired. Said lens-opening is preferably the same size as the sensitive plate to be carried.

The telescopicnecks E E2 carry the lens C,

lens will be permanently held at the front of the case. v j To find the proper focus of the lens employed, the drums and part E' of the neck are removed from the back of the case A, a ground glass being placed therein and shifted about until the desired focus is obtained, the position thus obtained being then indicated by an adjustable stop e, against which lthe focusing-glass is caused to abut. The focusing-glass is then removed, and the drums are replaced and run forward until the base portion B3 strikes against the stop c, which indicates that the plate-line is in the same plane as that to which the focusing-glass was ,adroo justed. A second stop c may be then placed at the back of the drum to hold it to its position.

To insure the accurate projection upon the plate ot' the object to be photographed, a finder or sight is attached to the camera or case. The said finder consists, essentially, of a small mirror f, either flat or convex, preferably the latter, as may be selected, 1o of such a curvature as will give reflections corresponding in size with the image projected on the plate. The said mirror f is adjusted and fixed at an angle of' about 'fortyfive degrees in a box F, the front f and top f2 of which are of glass, provided with cross wires or lines g g g g', and these are reflected on the glass. The entire adjustment should be such that any object in front of camera visible in the mirror, in conjunction with the zo intersecting wires or lines, and viewed from the proper angle in relation to the reflectingsurface of the mirror, will be projected by the lens on the plate in the camera, the intersecting point of the wires g g corresponding to 2 5 the center of the sensitive plate. To enable the operator to view the mirror from the proper angle, the top Wires g g are placed in such relation to the mirror that when the operators position is correct .he can see the 3o refiection or line of the cross Wires or lines g g central with the cross-wires g g. The opcrator need not have his leye close to the mirror, but may view it from the farthest point his eyesight will allow, no screening of the surrounding light being necessary, it being simply a reflection in a mirror having the correct angles regulated by a given combination of the top wires with the reflection of the cross-Wires g g. This arrangement allows 4o lthe operator to obtain photographs of' objects on either side of him without turning his head or body in the direction ofthe object to be photographed and to follow such objects till he finds a pose or action to suit him. In order that the camera may be held in proper position, a small flexible line f3 may be suspended over the mirror, such line carrying a cross-arm with small balls or knobs at the ends` If the camera be tilted in any given direction, the fact will at once be apparent, owing to the knobs on the cross-arms not coinciding with the reflection of the crosslines g g on the mirror, as the adjustment is intended to be such that the knobs and reflection of lines g g will coincide when the camera is level, as is most clearly indicated in Fig. 4. Forsuspending the cross-arms and knobs, I judge worsted will be servicable, as while flexible it is also rather sluggish in its movements. Any suitable instantaneous 6o shutter may be used for effecting the exposure, and as it may be fixed in various ways and forms no part of my invention no description or illustration of same is deemed necessary. 6 5

I am aware that it is not new to have a revolving sensitive plate upon different parts of which a series of pictures may be taken, and I lay no claim to any such construction of camera; but 7o What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination, the outer casing A, the lens C, the revoluble drum within the casing A, carrying sensitive plates, and the station- 7 r ary drum B, having an opening for the admission of light, said drum closely confining said revoluble drum to exclude the light from the same on each side of the opening, and a shutter E, substantially as described. 8o

2. In combination, the revoluble drum having a number of seats for receiving a number of plates, means for rotating the drum, and indicating means for showing the number of the plate being used, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the revoluble drum having a number of seats for receiving a number of plates, means for rotating said drum, and a disk D2, having numbers corresponding to the 9c numbers of the seats, said disk being in connection with the drum-driving mechanism, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the plateh'olding drum having movement toward and from the lens, and the holding means for retaining the drum in its adjusted position, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the camera-casing, the plate-holder therein and the lens, and the viewfinder situated to one side of said lens and consisting of a mirror set at an angle to the lens and combined with cross-wires, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IOC

FRANCIS NOVLAN.

Witnesses:

HoRAfrro A. LEE, ALLEN P. Jonas. 

